The Milk Producer - December 2010 - (Page 36)

RESEARCH By Carol Moore Off to right start P Researchers are using current technology in a new way to assess colostrum quality roper colostrum managegoing to be no absorption of imment and handling is the munoglobulins.” most important part of getThe researchers are using a Brix ting your calves off to a healthy refractometer to assess colostrum start. Colostrum, the antibody-rich quality. Unlike the colostrometer, first milk a newborn calf consumes, the refractometer is durable, peris vital to its long-term health and forms well at different temperafuture production. tures and requires only a small Maternal antibodies, needed to colostrum sample. Producers now ward off certain diseases, are not have an affordable, easy-to-use, transferred in the womb. A calf convenient method that can be inmust consume colostrum soon afcorporated into a colostrum manter birth to receive its mother’s anagement program. tibodies. Passive immunoglobulin “We want to make sure hightransfer from colostrum into the quality colostrum, which has high calf’s bloodstream helps protect quantities of immunoglobulins, is it from common diseases until its fed to calves to ensure successful pasown immune system can function sive transfer,” says Bielmann. “Feednormally. ing immunoglobulin-rich colostrum Vivianne Bielmann, a University should provide calves with enough of Guelph department of populaimmunity to protect them against tion medicine master’s graduate, some pathogens they may encounter and other researchers are using in the first few weeks of life.” current technology in a new way to determine colostrum’s quality Feeding your calves high-quality colostrum by measuring immunoglobulins will help protect them from pathogens they Carol Moore is a student writer with (IgG), a group of proteins that pro- may encounter in the first few weeks of life. the University of Guelph’s office of research. Also involved in this project vide immune protection. were: professor Ken Leslie, departThe ideal IgG amount for firstWhen feeding colostrum to calves, ment of population medicine, Ontario time colostrum feeding should be a sooner is better for optimum immunoVeterinary College; Andrew Skidmore, minimum 50 grams per litre, says Bielglobulin absorption, adds Bielmann. Schering-Plough Animal Health; Sandra mann. If colostrum is not fed immedi“If you feed colostrum within the ately after birth, calves may suffer from first six to 12 hours of life, you should Godden, University of Minnesota; Jennifer Gillan, W Gillan Farms, Packenfailure of passive transfer. This can afget at least 50 per cent absorption fect the calf’s immediate and long-term of available immunoglobulins,” she ham, Ont.; and Nicole Perkins, University of Guelph. Funding for this project health and performance. It’s estimated says. “However, if you don’t get co20 per cent of Ontario calves suffer lostrum into those calves within the was provided by the Ontario Ministry from failure of passive transfer. first 24 hours, then there is probably of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. 36 | December 2010 | MilkPRODUCER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - December 2010

The Milk Producer - December 2010
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Industry Roundup
DFO Promotion
Back to Basics
Research
Applied Science
Index
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - December 2010